Sliding Scale Payment Structure
Our Commitment to Access
Outdoor Education Adventures (OEA) believes that every child deserves meaningful opportunities to learn, explore, and grow in nature, regardless of financial circumstance. To reduce barriers to participation and better serve families we offer payment options, including a sliding scale payment structure. We intentionally set pricing as low as possible and seek grants and donations to help cover the true cost of programming. On average, our Full-Cost Rate is only 40% of the actual value of the program.
When registering, families are invited to self-select the rate that best reflects their current financial situation. No additional documentation is required. This system is built on trust, shared responsibility, and community care.
Availability & Payment Options
The discounted ticket rates (Community, Support, and Access) have a limited number of spots available. If the rate you select is full, we invite you—only if you are able—to consider choosing the next level up. Doing so helps sustain this pricing model and ensures access for future families.
If selecting a higher rate is not possible for your family, please submit the Request for Adjusted Tuition or Payment Plan form through the link below. While our ability to honor requests depends on available funding, each request helps us understand community need and strengthen future funding efforts.
Payment plans are available. If you would like to request the option to pay over time, please complete the Request for Adjusted Tuition or Payment Plan form through the link below.
You may also print a copy of the form and mail it. We will contact you once we receive your request. If you have other barriers or questions, please contact us; we really want to be of assistance.
Guidance for Choosing A Discounted Rate
Discounted rates are intended for families experiencing financial constraints. Families who are able to pay at the Full-Cost or Pay-It-Forward levels help ensure that OEA can continue offering reduced-cost opportunities to others.
You may wish to select a Community, Support, or Access rate if one or more of the following apply:
- Paying the Full-Cost rate would put a financial strain on your family or prevent your child from enrolling.
- Your household income is limited, fixed, or constrained by significant debt.
- You are supporting your household on one income out of necessity, such as being a single parent, caregiver, or supporting multiple family members.
- Housing, transportation, childcare, or healthcare costs place ongoing strain on your budget.
- You have limited access to savings, emergency funds, or outside financial support if unexpected expenses arise.
- Your family is managing ongoing medical, disability-related, mental health, or caregiving expenses.
- You identify as part of a historically marginalized community, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, disabled, chronically ill, or low-income communities, and experience structural barriers that affect financial stability.
Not all of these need to apply. Families are trusted to select the rate that best reflects their circumstances.
Guidance for Choosing A Full-Cost or Pay-it-Forward Rate
If you are financially able, please consider selecting the Full-Cost or Pay-It-Forward rate. This helps cover the cost of programming and sustains access for others in our community.
You may wish to select one of these rates if one or more of the following apply:
- You have stable housing, and your monthly expenses are generally manageable.
- Your household has flexibility in how income is generated or allocated.
- Your household has reliable income, whether from one or more earners, that you can count on month to month.
- You have savings, retirement accounts, or other financial resources that provide a financial cushion and allow you to absorb unexpected expenses without significant hardship.
- After covering essentials such as housing, food, transportation, and childcare, you typically have discretionary income for optional or enrichment expenses.
- You are able to absorb occasional increases in cost without it affecting your ability to meet basic needs.
The sliding scale level descriptions and monthly household income guide below are intended as optional guidance to help families choose a rate that aligns with their household size and income. Families are always welcome to select the rate that best fits their situation.
Sliding Scale Levels |
|---|
| Pay-It-Forward Rate (120%): Covers your child’s participation and helps fund reduced-cost spots for other families. Thank you for supporting equity and access in outdoor education.
Please select this rate if one or more of the above guidelines apply to you, and/or your family’s income level falls in columns D-E in the chart below. |
| Full-Cost Rate (100%): Families who can pay this rate help ensure OEA’s long-term sustainability.
Please select this rate if one or more of the above guidelines apply to you, and/or your family’s income level falls in columns D-E in the chart below. |
| Community Rate (70%): A moderate reduction for families who need some financial support to participate.
Please only select this rate if one or more of the above guidelines apply to you, and/or your family’s income level falls in column C-D in the chart below. |
| Support Rate (45%): For families experiencing significant financial constraints who still wish to engage in our programs.
Please only use this rate if one or more of the above guidelines apply to you, and/or your family’s income level falls in column B in the chart below. |
| Access Rate (20%): For families with substantial financial barriers to participation.
Please only use this rate if two or more of the above guidelines apply to you, and/or your family’s income level falls in column A in the chart below. |
Monthly Household Income Guide
The following chart is based on Yamhill County’s median income and cost of living according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator. Income listed is monthly gross (before taxes and other deductions).
| Sliding Scale Levels | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | C | D | E | |
| Household Size | Access | Support | Community | Full-Cost | Pay-it-Forward |
| 2 | ~$1,240 | ~$2,790 | ~$4,650 | ~$6,200 | ~$7,440 |
| 3 | ~$1,750 | ~$3,940 | ~$6,570 | ~$8,760 | ~$10,510 |
| 4 | ~$2,160 | ~$4,860 | ~$8,110 | ~$10,810 | ~$12,970 |
| 5 | ~$2,560 | ~$5,760 | ~$9,600 | ~$12,800 | ~$15,360 |
| 6 | ~$2,960 | ~$6,660 | ~$11,100 | ~$14,800 | ~$17,760 |
| 7 | ~$3,360 | ~$7,560 | ~$12,600 | ~$16,800 | ~$20,160 |
| 8 | ~$3,760 | ~$8,460 | ~$14,100 | ~$18,800 | ~$22,560 |
Income is only one factor. Families are encouraged to choose the rate that best reflects their full financial picture, including cost of living, debt, caregiving responsibilities, and income stability.
A Shared Investment in Our Community
This sliding scale is an expression of mutual aid and collective care. By redistributing resources and supporting one another, we strengthen our entire community. Investing in children—especially through meaningful experiences in nature—returns many times over in the health of our land, our communities, and our future.
Thank you for being part of Outdoor Education Adventures and for helping us ensure that all children in Yamhill County can connect with and care for the natural world.
